Black powder v 777 v pyrodex.

[tim56]

I am first to admit that i have always thought of 777 and pyrodex as a poor substitute for the real thing but i have to admit iv been wrong. Yesterday i tried ffg pyrodex in my .577 2 band and in my 45/70 rolling block. Both loaded with the equivelent charge by volume to my normal load and this morning iv tried 777 in my Ruger old army, 16.5 grns equivelent to 24 grns swiss pistol powder by volume.
All 3 loads showed equal flash, bang, smoke, flame and umph to black powder and the 777 is easier to clean aswell. Would i give up the black stuff in favour of the substitutes, no. Not at this point in time, but its nice to know that as it gets more difficult to get hold of b/p due to h&s etc the substitutes are available and work well. Tim

[slowcoach]

That 777 is the business for me.
Took 3 pistols out for a pop yesterday, grips off, all into a sink of hot soapy water, barrels scrubbed, cylinders out for a tickle with an old tooth brush whilst in the sink. Pop in the oven at 100 for 3 mins and bingo all done. Wipe down with an oily rag when cool with a few drops of oil into the trigger mech and all pivot points and good to go 20 mins start to finish on all 3.
Cant beat the black stuff for smell but does save on time come clean up

[DaveJW]

After an intial scare about NOT using 777 in my Enfield 3 band I found another (Enfield specialist) site that highly recommends it. I have used it now for some months and have had excellent results in terms of accuracy and very easy clean up. I use FFG in the rifle and FFFG in the Ruger Old Army.

[slowcoach]

Also use 80 grain by volume 777 FFG in repro 12 bore percusion sxs driving 30gram loads with excellent results. No fouling troubles even after 50 or so shots with just the odd brush out with a wool mop when the over shot card feels as though it's snatching when being driven down. Clean up same as before, hot soapy water, then boiling kettle poured down the barrels for final rinse after which they dry of their own heat. Oily rag and away till next play day

[Microtia]

What out of interest is the difference in composition between BP and these other powders? Is it that there is a % of nitro content added to BP to slow down the burn rate? Or am I completely off target?

[LeeH]

Pyrodex all the way for me .. don't need a note from anyone to buy it, store it, transport it or use it. Works fine, cleans up easy enough. I appreciate it's expensive compared to FFFG but I shoot so little by comparison to many shooters I know, it makes no odds to me.

[Flashinthepan]

It’s BP all the way for me.

I’m into flintlocks and have tried the following in a replica Brown Bess:
BP in the pan and pyrodex as the main charge it was like waiting for a bus. Flash, fizz bang the time delay was tremendous.

BP in the pan and 777 as the main charge again there was a delay as the main charge ignited but not as much as pyrodex, but the breech felt very hot after a single shot more so than the mass heat build up if one had made several quick reloads with pyrodex or BP.

Pyrodex made a crusty fouling about a third of the way up the bore, tried different lubes on the patches and balls but too little effect. Over the course of thirty odd shots I had to scrub it out as loading became problematic and at the end of the shoot it took a lot of cleaning. I believe that pyrodex is corrosive from the moment of firing

777 produced less fouling and was a lot easier to clean and took quite a lot of cleaning out. I understand that 777 is far less corrosive than pyrodex.

The BP I am using currently with patches lubed with the stuff that come from Allwood Stock and Mouldings seems to keep the fouling soft so loading isn’t a problem I can just keep reloading and firing. I known that damp BP fouling is corrosive but am led to believe that dry BP fouling is not. Cleaning is no more of a chore than with pyrodex.

For percussion guns it might well be a different story as the cap will ignite the charge in a different way, but one or two of the cap and ball revolver users where I shoot have changed to BP having tried a load of the proper stuff as they find an improvement in accuracy.

This may be due to the smoother ignition and burn of the powder. Plus if the gun makers followed the original design in rifling then as it was designed with black powder in mind it might be more effective when BP is used.

I know it depends on police area as each force is different but I found that the paperwork for the permit to hold and use and transport was not difficult and was helped through the process by the firearms Dept, once the box is bought it should last a life time.
So for me the minor irritation of having to take the permits with me when I by the powder is outweighed by the saving in cost etc.

Cheers
Nigel